Systems, methods and computer program products for wirelessly preprocessing a transaction while in a queue for a point-of-transaction

ABSTRACT

A transaction is preprocessed wirelessly in response to a wireless transaction preprocessing user device being in a queue for a point-of-transaction. The transaction that was preprocessed is then completed in response to the wireless transaction preprocessing user device reaching the point-of-transaction. Financial transactions and/or purchase of goods and/or services may thereby be preprocessed wirelessly and then completed at a point-of-transaction. Related devices and computer program products are also disclosed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to data processing systems, methods and computerprogram products, and more particularly to transaction processingsystems, methods and computer program products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic systems, methods and/or computer program products are widelyused to assist consumers in completing a transaction at apoint-of-transaction. Often, the consumers are lined up in a queue, onfoot or in a vehicle, at the point-of-transaction. For example, bankingtransactions may be facilitated using an automatic teller machine (ATM).Vehicles typically line up in a vehicle queue for the ATM, wherein thefirst vehicle in the queue accesses the ATM and the remaining vehicleswait their turn. Similarly, in providing goods and/or services, such asfood, coffee or dry cleaning services, individuals on foot or invehicles may line up in a queue for a drive-up or service window. Inmany restaurant operations, a menu board may be provided along with anintercom, so that selections may be made while waiting in a queue, andthen delivered at a drive-up window at the front of the queue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Transactions may be performed, according to some embodiments of thepresent invention, by preprocessing the transaction wirelessly, inresponse to a wireless transaction preprocessing user device being in aqueue for a point-of-transaction. In other embodiments, the transactionthat is preprocessed is then completed in response to the wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device that is in the queue reaching thepoint-of-transaction.

In some embodiments, preprocessing is performed in response to thewireless transaction preprocessing user device being second or more inthe queue for the point-of-transaction, and completing the transactionis performed at the point-of-transaction in response to the wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device being first in the queue for thepoint-of-transaction. Preprocessing may be performed in response tosensing that the wireless transaction preprocessing user device is inthe queue for the point-of-transaction. Moreover, in other embodiments,advertising related to the point-of-transaction is transmitted to thewireless transaction preprocessing user device that is in the queue forthe point-of-transaction.

In some embodiments, the transaction is a financial transaction and thepreprocessing may include transmitting and/or accepting informationregarding the financial transaction wirelessly from a wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device that is in a queue for thepoint-of-transaction. Completing the transaction may include acceptingadditional information and completing the financial transaction at thepoint-of-transaction. In particular embodiments of a financialtransaction, the transaction is an automatic teller machine (ATM)transaction, and the preprocessing may include transmitting and/oraccepting indications of a type of ATM transaction and a monetary amountof the ATM transaction wirelessly from a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device in a vehicle that is in a vehicle queue forthe ATM. Completing the transaction may include accepting a personalidentification number and dispensing/accepting funds at the ATM.Analogous embodiments may be provided for walk-up ATMs.

In other embodiments, the transaction is a purchase of goods and/orservices at the point-of-transaction, and preprocessing may be performedby transmitting and/or accepting information regarding the transactionwirelessly from a wireless transaction preprocessing user device that isin a queue for the point-of-transaction. Completing the transaction maybe performed by completion of a payment for the goods and/or servicesand providing the goods and/or services at the point-of-transaction. Inparticular embodiments of the invention, the transaction is a purchaseof goods and/or services at a drive-up window, and preprocessing isperformed by transmitting and/or accepting identification of the goodsand/or services wirelessly from a wireless transaction preprocessinguser device in a vehicle that is in a vehicle queue for the drive-upwindow. The transaction may then be completed by accepting payment forthe goods and/or services and providing the goods and/or services at thedrive-up window. Analogous embodiments may be provided for walk-upwindows.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the wireless transactionpreprocessing user device is a dedicated device that can provide anidentification of a user thereof. For example, a vehicle windshieldmounted device may be used. In other embodiments, the wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device is integrated into a multiplepurpose wireless user device, such as a vehicle audio/video/navigationsystem. Preprocessing may be performed wirelessly using a short-rangead-hoc wireless network.

Point-of-transaction systems may be provided, according to someembodiments of the present invention, by a wireless system that isconfigured to preprocess a transaction wirelessly in response to awireless transaction preprocessing user device being in a queue for thepoint-of-transaction. The point-of-transaction system may also include atransaction completing system that is configured to complete thetransaction that was preprocessed, at the point-of-transaction.Point-of-transaction systems for financial/ATM transactions and/or forthe purchase of goods and/or services may be provided, as was describedabove.

Wireless user devices also may be provided according to otherembodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, a wirelessuser device includes a wireless system that is configured to preprocessa transaction wirelessly in response to the wireless user device beingin a queue for a point-of-transaction. Wireless user devices for ATMsand/or purchasing of goods and/or services may be provided as wasdescribed above.

It will be understood by those having skill in the art that embodimentsof the present invention may be provided by methods that are performedby a point-of-transaction system and/or by a wireless user device, bythe point-of-transaction system itself, by the user device itself and/orby computer program products for the point-of-transaction system and/orfor the user device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of systems, methods and/or computer programproducts for performing a transaction according to some embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of operations to perform a transaction accordingto some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a point-of-transaction device according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual flow diagram of systems, methods and computerprogram products for performing ATM transactions according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of systems, methods and computer programproducts for preprocessing a transaction in a vehicle according to someembodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying figures, in which embodiments of theinvention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in manyalternate forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein.

Accordingly, while the invention is susceptible to various modificationsand alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way ofexample in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit theinvention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, theinvention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternativesfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theclaims. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the descriptionof the figures.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”,“comprising,” “includes” and/or “including” when used in thisspecification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps,operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used hereinthe term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more ofthe associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”. It will beunderstood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be usedherein to describe various elements, these elements should not belimited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish oneelement from another. For example, a first element could be termed asecond element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a firstelement without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.

The present invention is described below with reference to blockdiagrams and/or flowchart illustrations of methods, apparatus (systems)and/or computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It is understood that a block of the block diagrams and/orflowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computerprogram instructions. These computer program instructions may beprovided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purposecomputer, and/or other programmable data processing apparatus to producea machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processorof the computer and/or other programmable data processing apparatus,create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable memory that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the block diagrams and/orflowchart block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe block diagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks.

Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in hardware and/or insoftware (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.).Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computerprogram product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage mediumhaving computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in themedium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system.In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readablemedium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate,propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with theinstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example butnot limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagationmedium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of thecomputer-readable medium would include the following: an electricalconnection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Note that thecomputer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper oranother suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as theprogram can be electronically captured, via, for instance, opticalscanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, orotherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then storedin a computer memory.

It should also be noted that in some alternate implementations, thefunctions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted inthe flowcharts. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in factbe executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/actsinvolved. Moreover, the functionality of a given block may be separatedinto multiple blocks and/or the functionality of two or more blocks maybe at least partially integrated.

As used herein, the root term “wireless” means that airborne radiofrequency electromagnetic signals provide at least part of atransmission path between a signal transmitter, such as a user device,and a signal receiver, such as a point-of-transaction device.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of systems, methods and/or computer programproducts for performing a transaction according to some embodiments ofthe present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, these systems, methods and/orcomputer program products 100 include a point-of-transaction 110 and aplurality of users 120 in a queue 130 for the point-of-transaction 110,wherein a first user, user 1, is first in the queue 130, a second user,user 2, is second in the queue 130, etc. Fewer or more than four users120 may be present in the queue 130.

As also shown in FIG. 1, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention, the transaction is preprocessed wirelessly in response to awireless transaction preprocessing user device 140 being in the queue130 for the point-of-transaction 110. Preprocessing may be performedusing a wireless link 160 between a first antenna 142 associated withthe wireless transaction preprocessing user device 140 and a secondantenna 112 associated with the point-of-transaction system 110. It willbe understood by those having skill in the art that the antennas 112 and142 need not be directly connected to the point-of-transaction 110 andthe wireless user device 140, respectively, but can be connectedremotely using a wired and/or wireless connection. It will also beunderstood that not every user 120 in the queue 130 may include awireless transaction preprocessing user device 140, as shown by user 3.Moreover, the wireless link 160 that is used to preprocess thetransaction wirelessly may be a short-range ad-hoc wireless link, suchas a WiFi, Bluetooth, RFID and/or other short-range wireless link knownto those having skill in the art. Alternatively, a wide area wirelesslink such as a cellular- and/or satellite-based wireless link 160 may beused.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the transaction that was preprocessed iscompleted in response to the wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice 140 that is in the queue 130 reaching the point-of-transaction110, as shown by arrow 170. Completion of the transaction may involvemanual entry of information at a keyboard, verbal communication betweenan attendant and a user, providing of goods and/or services from apoint-of-transaction attendant to a user, transfer of fumds and/or otherconventional operations for completing a transaction.

Still referring to FIG. 1, preprocessing of the transaction may bepreceded by sensing that the wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice 140 is in the queue 130 for the point-of-transaction 110. In someembodiments, discrete sensors 150 may be provided, for example usingphotoelectric cells, loop sensors, image sensors, infrared sensorsand/or other forms of sensor technology that can sense that a wirelessuser device 140, a user 120 of the wireless user device 140 and/or avehicle of a user 120 of the wireless user device is in the queue 130.However, in other embodiments, sensing may be incorporated into thewireless link 160 that is provided for preprocessing. For example, as iswell known to those having skill in the art, ad-hoc wireless links mayonly be set up when a user is within a proximity of another ad-hocwireless node. In still other embodiments, the wireless user devices 140may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or other locationsystem that conveys a location of the wireless user device 140 to thepoint-of-transaction 110.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of operations that may be performed to perform atransaction according to some embodiments of the present invention.These operations may be performed by a transaction performing system,method and/or computer program product 100 of FIG. 1. As shown at Block210, sensing is first optionally performed to sense that a wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device, such as a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device 140 of FIG. 1, is in a queue, such as thequeue 130 of FIG. 1, for a point-of-transaction, such as thepoint-of-transaction 110 of FIG. 1. As was described above, sensing maybe performed by providing sensing system 150 that can include optical,electromagnetic, infrared and/or other conventional sensing devices, bya locating system such as GPS, and/or may be included within the settingup of a wireless preprocessing link by, for example, an ad-hocshort-range wireless network.

Still referring to FIG. 2, at Block 220, the transaction is preprocessedwirelessly in response to a wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice, for example a wireless preprocessing user device 140 of FIG. 1,being in a queue, such as the queue 130 of FIG. 1 for thepoint-of-transaction, such as the point-of-transaction 110 of FIG. 1.Preprocessing may be performed by setting up a wireless link 160 betweena first antenna 142 associated with the wireless transactionpreprocessing user device 140 and a second antenna 112 between apoint-of-transaction system 110. Specific examples of preprocessing willbe described below in connection with Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)transactions and drive-up window transactions.

Still referring to FIG. 2, at Block 230, the transaction that waspreprocessed is completed at the point-of-transaction, for example atthe point-of-transaction 110 of FIG. 1. Completion of the transactionmay be provided by obtaining a user identification/authentication, byobtaining payment, by providing goods and/or services, and/or otherconventional point-of-transaction activities. Finally, at Block 240,post-processing operations also optionally may be performed.Post-processing operations may include billing a transaction to a user'scredit card, sending a receipt and/or statement to a user by mail and/oremail, sending a reminder to the user, and/or other conventionalpost-processing operations for a transaction.

Some embodiments of the present invention may arise from recognitionthat valuable time may be wasted by users and/or by apoint-of-transaction system, while the users are merely waiting in aqueue. Accordingly, some embodiments of the invention can preprocess atransaction wirelessly in response to a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device being in a queue for a point-of-transaction.The completion of a transaction at the point-of-transaction may therebyoccur more quickly, which can reduce user queue time, increasepoint-of-transaction throughput, increase user security by reducing thetime that the user is exposed at a point of transaction, reduce healthissues by minimizing interactions at the point-of-transaction, and/orreduce paper costs at the point-of-transaction by enabling paperlesscompletion of the transaction and/or post processing operations.

ATM transactions according to exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention now will be described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. Insome ATM embodiments, sensing of Block 210 may be performed by sensingthat a vehicle is in a vehicle queue, or an individual is in a queue ofindividuals for a walk-up ATM. Preprocessing of Block 220 may then beperformed by wirelessly transmitting from the wireless user device 140and/or wirelessly receiving at the point-of-transaction 110, indicationsof a type of ATM transaction (such as a deposit or a withdrawal), and amonetary amount of the ATM transaction, from a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device 140 in a queue 130 for the ATM. Thetransaction is completed at Block 230 by providing a PersonalIdentification Number (PIN) and dispensing and/or accepting funds at theATM.

In some ATM embodiments, the PIN is not provided over the wireless link160 for security purposes, and/or to allow the user to exit the queue130 before reaching the ATM. Thus, the PIN is provided at the ATM, toverify the user's identity, and to confirm that the user wishes tocomplete the transaction. Funds are dispensed/accepted and/or a receiptmay be provided at the ATM conventionally. The user's time at the ATMmay be reduced, and in some embodiments minimized, by allowing a portionof the ATM transaction to be preprocessed. In other ATM embodiments, thePIN is provided as part of preprocessing, so that funds may need only betaken/dispensed at the ATM. Finally, at Block 240, post-processing maybe performed by debiting or crediting the user's account, sending areceipt via mail and/or email, and/or other conventional post-processingoperations.

The above-described ATM transactions may be generalized to otherfinancial transactions, wherein during preprocessing, informationregarding the financial transaction is transmitted and/or acceptedwirelessly from a wireless transaction preprocessing user device that isin a queue for the point-of-transaction. The transaction may becompleted by accepting additional information and completing thefinancial transaction at the point-of-transaction.

The performing of a transaction for the purchase of goods and/orservices at a drive-up window, according to other embodiments of thepresent invention, will now be described in connection with FIGS. 1 and2. The goods that are sold may include food, beverages and/or othergoods, and the services that are purchased may include dry-cleaning,media rental and/or other services. Walk-up transactions also may beprovided.

In the purchase of goods and/or services, sensing may optionally beperformed at Block 210 similar to that which was described in the ATMtransaction. Preprocessing of Block 220 may include transmitting and/oraccepting identification of the goods and/or services and/or of the userwirelessly from the wireless transaction preprocessing user device 140that is maintained by the user or is in a vehicle that is in a queue 130for the drive-up window. The identification of the goods and/or servicesmay be performed by indicating food/beverage items to be ordered, byindicating the dry-cleaning customer name and/or goods to be picked up.A bar code reader may also be included in the user device in someembodiments, to read a bar code on a claim check. In some embodiments,payment is not effected wirelessly as part of preprocessing, forsecurity purposes and/or because the user may elect to leave the queue130 before completing the transaction. In other embodiments, however,payment may be effected as part of preprocessing. At Block 230, thetransaction is completed by accepting payment for the goods and/orservices and/or providing the goods and/or services at the window.Post-processing 240 may be performed to send the user a receipt,statement or other confirmation, as is conventionally done.

The purchase of goods and/or services as described above may begeneralized to the purchase or service of goods at anypoint-of-transaction, wherein preprocessing includes transmitting and/oraccepting information regarding the transaction wirelessly from awireless transaction preprocessing user device that is in a queue forthe point-of-transaction. The transaction may be completed by completinga payment for the goods and/or services and providing the goods and/orservices at the point-of-transaction.

Preprocessing according to any of the above-described embodiments of theinvention may also include advertising. Thus, for example, while theuser 120 is in the queue 130, the user 120 may be provided withadvertising material over the wireless link 160. The advertising mayrelate to the point-of-transaction 110. In particular, in an ATMtransaction, the user 120 may be informed of related services that areoffered by the bank, such as mortgages or loans, while the user is inthe queue 130 prior to, concurrent with and/or after the ATM transactionpreprocessing. In still other embodiments, advertising and/or othercontent that is unrelated to the ATM transaction or the bank may beprovided to the user 120 using the wireless link 160 while the user 120is in the queue 130. This advertising and/or other content may betailored to the user 120 and/or the user's demographics, based onknowledge of the user's identity that is provided by the wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device 140.

Similarly, in the purchase of goods and/or services at adrive-up/walk-up window, advertisements for the goods or services, suchas specials on food, beverages and/or dry-cleaning, may be provided tothe user 120 while in the queue 130. The specials may be tailored to theuser's selection during preprocessing and/or knowledge of the user'sidentity and/or demographics that may be provided by the wireless userdevice 140. The advertising may be provided prior to, during and/orafter the user's identifying the goods or services wirelessly. Moreover,in still other embodiments, advertising and/or other content that isrelated to and/or unrelated to the goods or services may also beprovided, which, in some embodiments, may be tailored to the user or theuser's demographics.

Moreover, coupons may be provided according to various embodiments ofthe present invention. A coupon may be a printed coupon and/or can be anelectronic coupon that is displayed on the wireless transactionpreprocessing device and/or on another device. In some embodiments, thecoupon may accompany the displaying and/or printing of a receipt.However, in other embodiments, the printing and/or displaying of acoupon may be independent of a receipt. In some embodiments, the couponscan relate to the goods and/or services being purchased, related goodsand/or services, and/or unrelated goods and/or services that are offeredby the seller of the goods and/or services that are being purchased.Moreover, in other embodiments, the coupons may be unrelated to thegoods and/or services being purchased and/or unrelated to the seller ofthe goods and/or services.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of wireless user devices according to someembodiments of the present invention. These wireless user devices 340may correspond to wireless transaction user preprocessing devices 140 ofFIG. 1, and may include an antenna 342 which may correspond to antenna142 of FIG. 1.

In some embodiments, the wireless user device 340 is a dedicatedwireless transaction preprocessing user device 350 that provides anidentification of a user thereof and can provide additionalpreprocessing options for a user. For example, a dedicated wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device 350 may operate similar to awindshield-mounted automated toll-paying device, often referred to as an“e-pass” device, that can be used to automatically pay tolls on a tollroad as a user's vehicle passes by a toll collection area using ashort-range wireless signal that allows the dedicated device to identifyitself to a toll collection system.

In other embodiments, however, the wireless user device 340 may beintegrated into a multiple-purpose wireless user device 360. Forexample, wireless transaction preprocessing may be integrated into aconventional wireless terminal, such as a cellular and/or satelliteradiotelephone with or without a multi-line display, a PersonalCommunications System (PCS) terminal that may combine a radiotelephonewith data processing, facsimile and/or data communications capabilities,a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that can include a radio frequencytransceiver and a pager, Internet/intranet access, Web browser,organizer, calendar and/or a GPS receiver, and/or conventional laptopand/or palmtop computers or other appliances, which include a radiofrequency transceiver, for wireless voice and/or data communications. Inother embodiments, the multiple purpose wireless user device 360 mayinclude a dashboard display that is provided in a vehicle as part of anaudio/video/navigation system for the vehicle. These systems can obtainGPS information for navigation purposes and can transmit informationthat is provided from a user input device in the vehicle to an externalnetwork using a short-range wireless, cellular, satellite and/or otherwireless connection. The user input device can include an interactivevoice response system, a keypad, a touch screen and/or otherconventional user input devices. Moreover, in any of the embodimentsdescribed above, a user device may include a fingerprint or otherbiometric device for authentication. Encryption also may be used toenhance security.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of point-of-transaction systems according tosome embodiments of the present invention, which may correspond to thepoint-of-transaction system 110 of FIG. 1. These point-of-transactionsystems 410 may include a wireless antenna 412, which may correspond tothe antenna 112 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, thesepoint-of-transaction systems 410 may include a wireless system 414 thatis configured to preprocess a transaction wirelessly in response to awireless transaction preprocessing user device, such as a user device140 of FIG. 1 or a user device 340 of FIG. 3, being in a queue for thepoint-of-transaction. A transaction-completing system 416 also isprovided that is configured to complete the transaction that waspreprocessed, at the point-of-transaction.

FIG. 5 conceptually illustrates ATM transaction preprocessing andcompletion according to other embodiments of the present invention. Asshown in FIG. 5, a point-of-transaction is embodied as a bank 510 thatcommunicates with a plurality of vehicles 520 belonging to a pluralityof customers in a queue 530, using bidirectional wireless links 560.Discrete wireless transaction preprocessing user devices that may beattached, for example, to the vehicle windshield, similar to tollcollecting devices described above, may be used in some embodiments.

Continuing with the description of FIG. 5, as shown at Block 570, as thecustomer approaches a drive-up ATM, a signal is sent from an attachedbank scanning card in the customer's vehicle's windshield to the bank510. In some embodiments, for security reasons, the transmission may notbe sent further than two or three vehicle lengths. As shown at Block572, the ATM relays a signal to the bank computer system 514, and placesthe next vehicle 520 in the queue.

At Block 574, as the vehicle approaches the ATM, the system asks for aPIN. At Block 576, the customer enters the PIN from the customer's cellphone and/or keypad device in the car. Alternatively, the ATM keypad maybe used. The ATM is then ready for use as the customer approaches theATM window. As shown at Block 578, the customer may enter transactionsfrom a user device in the vehicle, and at Block 582, the customerremoves cash from the ATM and/or deposits cash/checks into the ATM.Finally, at Block 584, a customer receipt may be printed to thecustomer's PDA or can be printed by the ATM.

Accordingly, in embodiments of FIG. 5, preprocessing of the transactionmay be performed using multiple user devices, such as awindshield-mounted device and a cell phone. Moreover, preprocessing mayinclude a relatively small or a relatively large portion of the entiretransaction and may include identification and/or authenticationinformation. Post-processing can also use the preprocessing wirelessuser device and/or other devices. The point-of-transaction system maytrack users as they move through the queue to the point-of-transaction,to ensure that the proper transaction is associated with the properuser. Embodiments of FIG. 5 can thereby reduce customer queue time,increase security by reducing or minimizing time exposed to theelements, reduce health issues by allowing a customer to use thecustomer's own keypad for at least some of the transaction, reduce papercosts to the bank by allowing a customer's PDA to receive a receipt,and/or can be established for multiple ATMs.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual block diagram of other embodiments of the presentinvention, illustrating how transaction processing systems, methodsand/or computer program products according to some embodiments of thepresent invention may be integrated with other elements of a vehicle 620and/or other devices. As shown in FIG. 6, a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device may be integrated with components of vehicleelectronic systems. For example, a transaction client 602 may interactwith a vehicle controller 604 and/or a vehicle dashboard display 606.The transaction client 602 may include software that executes on thevehicle controller 604 and/or another processor in the vehicle. Thetransaction client 602 may enable preprocessing of a transactionwirelessly via a short-range ad-hoc wireless network transceiver 612that is mounted, for example, on a windshield 614 of the vehicle 620.User identification and/or security parameters may be obtained by thetransaction client 602 via a keychain dongle 622 using a wired and/orwireless interface. Alternatively, a smart card and/or RFID card in auser's purse or wallet may be used. Options for transactions may beprovided on the display 606 and soft keys 624 may be used to selectvarious options. Accordingly, identification/authentication of a usermay be provided via the display 606, the dongle 622 and/or otherconventional techniques, and transmitted to the point-of-transaction 630via a short-range wireless connection 650.

Still continuing with the description of FIG. 6, thepoint-of-transaction 630 may include a transaction server 632 and anantenna 634 that interfaces with the windshield-mounted transceiver 612.A plurality of applications 636 may be provided along with keys 638and/or other identification and/or authentication information. Moreover,advertising and/or other content may be provided to the vehicle 620 viaan advertising server 640, which may be integrated with or separate fromthe point-of-transaction. The advertising server 640 may include aprofile database 642 and may use a wireless connection 644 that mayinclude a cellular and/or satellite wireless connection. The advertisingor other content may be served separately from the transactionprocessing and/or may be at least partially integrated therewith. Itwill be understood by those having skill in the art that otherarchitectures for the vehicle 620, the advertising server 640 and/or thepoint-of-transaction 630 may be provided that may integrate thefunctionality of one or more of the blocks shown and/or may separate thefunctionality of individual blocks.

Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention can preprocess atransaction wirelessly in response to a wireless transactionpreprocessing device being in a queue for a point-of-transaction.Preprocessing may include identification/authentication informationand/or identification/authentication information may be provided whenthe preprocessed transaction is completed at a point-of-transaction.Identification/authorization may be provided using a keypad that isassociated with a vehicle, a cell phone, a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device and/or the point-of-transaction. For example,in some embodiments, when driving up to an ATM, only a PIN number needbe input to verify the transaction, and funds may then be taken and/ordeposited. Security may be increased because the time at an ATM with thewindow open can be reduced or minimized. Moreover, when a balancetransfer, debit card preloading and/or other non-cash transaction istaking place, the entire ATM transaction may be performed without theneed to roll down the window. In other embodiments, a user's smart cardmay be preloaded with a cash amount at the point-of-transaction, withoutthe need to lower the window of the car. ATM-like screens may betransmitted to a car dashboard display while the vehicle is in thequeue. Identification/authentication may also be provided while thevehicle is in the queue.

Accordingly, ATM transactions may be provided according to variousembodiments of the present invention with various levels of use of theATM itself. In some embodiments, preprocessing of the transaction may beperformed and then the ATM keypad is used to enter a PIN and the ATM isused to obtain and/or deposit money and/or other instruments. In otherembodiments, client software in a user's vehicle and/or in a user'swireless device may be used to actually enter PIN information when theuser is at the ATM. In some embodiments, ATM screens may be downloadedto the vehicle and/or the user device. The ATM can then be used merelyto deposit or receive cash and/or other instruments. In still otherembodiments, an identification device in the vehicle or associated withthe user may by used to automatically transferidentification/authentication information without the need for activeuser participation in the process. Finally, for some transactions wherecash and/or other instruments need not be transferred, the transactionmay be completed at the ATM without the need for the user to actuallytouch the ATM, as long as it can be confirmed that the user that isassociated with a given transaction is actually at the ATM.

In non-ATM transactions, such as a drive-through laundry, a ticket thatis given by the laundry may include a bar code, or the ticket mayinclude a smart card and/or an RFID tag, which then may be used totransmit information to the point-of-transaction while the vehicle is inthe queue. In other embodiments of the present invention, a queue itselfmay not be recognized, but, rather, general proximity to apoint-of-transaction may be recognized whether or not the device/user isin a queue.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed embodimentsof the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they areused in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims.

1. A method of performing a transaction comprising: preprocessing thetransaction wirelessly in response to a wireless transactionpreprocessing user device being in a queue for a point-of-transaction.2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: completing thetransaction that was preprocessed, in response to the wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device that is in the queue reaching thepoint-of-transaction.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein thetransaction is an automatic teller machine (ATM) transaction, whereinpreprocessing comprises transmitting and/or accepting indications of atype of ATM transaction and a monetary amount of the ATM transactionwirelessly from a wireless transaction preprocessing user device in avehicle that is in a vehicle queue for the ATM, and wherein completingthe transaction comprises accepting a personal identification number anddispensing and/or accepting funds at the ATM.
 4. A method according toclaim 2 wherein the transaction is a financial transaction, whereinpreprocessing comprises transmitting and/or accepting informationregarding the financial transaction wirelessly from a wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device that is in a queue for thepoint-of-transaction, and wherein completing the transaction comprisesaccepting additional information and completing the financialtransaction at the point-of-transaction.
 5. A method according to claim2 wherein the transaction is a purchase of goods and/or services at adrive-up window, wherein preprocessing comprises transmitting and/oraccepting identification of the goods and/or services wirelessly from awireless transaction preprocessing user device in a vehicle that is in avehicle queue for the drive-up window and wherein completing thetransaction comprises accepting payment for the goods and/or servicesand providing the goods and/or services at the drive-up window.
 6. Amethod according to claim 2 wherein the transaction is a purchase ofgoods and/or services at the point-of-transaction, wherein preprocessingcomprises transmitting and/or accepting information regarding thetransaction wirelessly from a wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice that is in a queue for the point-of-transaction and whereincompleting the transaction comprises completion of a payment for thegoods and/or services and providing the goods and/or services at thepoint-of-transaction.
 7. A method according to claim 1 furthercomprising: transmitting/receiving advertising related to thepoint-of-transaction to/at the wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice that is in the queue for the point-of-transaction.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 2 wherein preprocessing comprises preprocessing thetransaction wirelessly in response to the wireless transactionpreprocessing user device being second or more in the queue for thepoint-of-transaction and wherein completing the transaction comprisescompleting the transaction at the point-of-transaction in response tothe wireless transaction preprocessing user device being first in thequeue for the point-of-transaction.
 9. A method according to claim 1wherein preprocessing is preceded by sensing that the wirelesstransaction preprocessing user device is in the queue for thepoint-of-transaction.
 10. A method according to claim 1 wherein thewireless transaction preprocessing user device is a device that providesan identification of a user thereof.
 11. A method according to claim 1wherein the wireless transaction preprocessing user device is integratedinto a multiple purpose wireless user device.
 12. A method according toclaim 11 wherein the multiple purpose wireless user device comprises avehicle audio/video/navigation system.
 13. A method according to claim 1wherein preprocessing is performed wirelessly using a short-range ad-hocwireless network.
 14. A point-of-transaction system comprising: awireless system that is configured to preprocess a transactionwirelessly in response to a wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice being in a queue for the point-of-transaction; and a transactioncompleting system that is configured to complete the transaction thatwas preprocessed, in response to the wireless transaction preprocessinguser device that is in the queue reaching the point-of-transaction. 15.A point-of-transaction system according to claim 14 wherein thetransaction is a financial transaction, wherein the wireless system isconfigured to wirelessly accept information regarding the financialtransaction from a wireless transaction preprocessing user device in aqueue for the point-of-transaction system, and wherein the transactioncompleting system is configured to accept additional information neededto complete the financial transaction and to complete the financialtransaction.
 16. A point-of-transaction system according to claim 14wherein the transaction is a purchase of goods and/or services, whereinthe wireless system is configured to wirelessly accept informationregarding the transaction from a wireless transaction preprocessing userdevice in a queue for the point-of-transaction system and wherein thetransaction completing system is configured to complete the payment forthe goods and/or services and to provide the goods and/or services atthe point-of-transaction.
 17. A computer program product comprising acomputer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program codeembodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code configured toprovide the point-of-transaction system of claim
 14. 18. A wireless userdevice comprising: a wireless system that is configured to preprocess atransaction wirelessly in response to the wireless user device being ina queue for a point-of-transaction.
 19. A wireless user device accordingto claim 18 wherein the transaction is a financial transaction andwherein the wireless system is configured to transmit informationregarding the financial transaction wirelessly in response to the userdevice being in a queue for the point-of-transaction.
 20. A wirelessuser device according to claim 18 wherein the transaction is a purchaseof goods and/or services and wherein the wireless system is configuredto transmit information regarding the transaction wirelessly in responseto the user device being in a queue for the point-of-transaction.